It’s 120 years since the birth of one of China’s best known Peking Opera stars -- Mei Lanfang. The anniversary is making the 6th Mei Lanfang Art Festival all the more special in Mei’s hometown of Taizhou, East China. A tribute to a master of Peking opera.

The Mei Lanfang Art Festival opened with a classic -- “The Fairy and Her Mortal Lover”, featuring renowned artists Yuan Yuan and Mei Yuanjun.

And there’s more to come. Over the coming month, opera stars from across China will perform more than 20 operas in different genres, such as Kunqu, Shaoxing, and Yuju operas.

A new Peking Opera production will also be staged by students from the National Academy of Chinese Theater Arts. Many of the shows will be performed in some of Taizhou’s small communities.

“Nowadays, most traditional Chinese operas have lost their popularity. I think the Mei Lanfang art festival can serve as a great opportunity to promote Chinese opera among the public, especially among the younger generation,” said Chen Shihong, organizer of Mei Lanfang Art Festival.

The festival includes a special forum on Peking Opera, and a collection of commemorative stamps will are set to be released. The Mei Lanfang Art Festival runs until the 29th of October.